Joined In Death
by Jessie Jaina Jinn
Summary: A little VictorxEmily story. Set after the movie. Victor tries to deny his feelings for Emily after his marriage until Victoria sets him free.


A/N: Does anyone else feel that too many Victor/Emily fics are too unfair to Victoria? Ever read stories where it depicts Victoria as jealous of that relationship? Well, for anyone else who feels that, here's a story to ease that feeling. Oh, and Tim Burton owns Corpse Bride, I don't. Anyway, onto the fic:

Victor woke up panting. The dream he had dreamed…how could he dream it now? He was married. He had a beautiful wife. No, he could not fall in love with the Corpse Bride.

The dream…Victor had finished his vows, smiling in pure happiness. Slowly, he reached forward and pulled back the veil. Instead of the pale skin and soft eyes of his true wife, Victoria, Victor was instead looking into the lively, slightly haunting eyes of the blue-skinned beauty, Emily, the Corpse Bride. Still full of the same bliss, Victor wrapped his arms around and kissed her passionately. That's when Victor awoke.

Victor stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen where he fell into a table chair and put his face into his hands. His heart was torn. He loved Victoria, Victor always had a special spot in his heart for his loving wife, but…then there was Emily. Sure, he had never actually meant to marry her. Besides, he had never been good with women, but…the things she had done for him. She had reunited him with his childhood best friend, she took a sword for him (although she was already dead), and she had even put his happiness before her own…

Victor shivered as the cold air played along his bare chest. What had he done for her in return? Tricked her into giving him a way to return to Victoria, even though she had been so kind to him? Sure, she had taken him into the Land of the Dead, but she had thought that he had asked for her hand. He remembered the look of trust in those dark eyes and her happiness of being able to see the moonlight again…

Victor found himself on the verge of tears. He in no way was trying to compare the two women, but those memories had always entered his mind when the subject came up. He loved Emily, he knew that, but he also loved Victoria, just, as much as he hated to admit it, not as much. A tear escaped him.

Suddenly, he felt something drape over him. Victor looked up to see Victoria. Her long locks of hair draped over her shoulders, released from the bun that Victoria usually kept them in, and her long, silk nightgown that fell past her feet trailing behind her. There was concern shining in her eyes.

"Victor, are you alright?" she asked, putting a hand on his cheek Victor began to relax in her hand, but decided against it. Instead, he gently pushed it away and stood up.

"I'm f-fine, Victoria," he said, cursing his old habit of stuttering. Victoria sighed and sat in the chair.

"You're thinking of her, aren't you?" she whispered. Victor stopped dead, an ironic saying seeing as they were discussing a dead woman.

"I-I…" he stuttered, but was at a loss of words. To his surprise, Victoria smiled.

"I know how much you love her. I hear you whisper her name in your sleep, the way you say it, the words that follow it…you love her, Victor, you needn't hide it." She moved closer and put her arms around him. "Of course, you'll always love me, but you love her more. I have come to know and accept that."

Victor opened his mouth to speak, but Victoria put a finger over his lips and gave him a knowing smile.

"You needn't say anything to explain yourself, I understand. I knew your feelings for her when you said you had a promise to keep to her. If she hadn't had let you go, you would have married her. I am young, Victor, and I will have another chance to be a bride, but Emily, as I presume her name is, will never have another chance if you do not go to her now."

"But I will be breaking my vows to you," Victor blurted out. Victoria paused, but then sighed and smiled.

"Such a noble man you are, Victor. Your family's money has gotten my parents back on track, and they have a small fortune of their own. Even if our vows were to be broken, they would, in time, marry me off to another rich man. You have raised my sorrows, Victor. You," she took a cup and a bottle of wine, "have been my wine," she filled the cup, "you have led my way in darkness, and I have been yours." She took his hand and placed the cup in it. Victor gripped it and looked at her. Victoria took a small vile and poured it into the wine. Then, she removed her wedding ring and placed it in his free hand. "You'll need it."

Victor looked at Victoria, half in disbelief, half in admiration. He quickly put down the glass and pulled her close to him, kissing her. As they parted, his lip trembled.

"I will love you, even after my death, Victoria." Victoria's eyes filled with tears.

"And I you, Victor," she whispered. Hand shaking, Victor took the cup and looked at his wife one last time.

"Goodbye, Victoria," he said and downed the entire glass. Within moments, he started to cough, losing oxygen fast. He crumpled to the floor, dead. Victoria felt her tears escape and flow down her cheeks.

"Goodbye, Victor," she said, looking at his body one last time, before running out of the house to tell her parents that her husband had drank poisoned wine.

Elsewhere, in the Land of the Dead, Victor was greeted with the shocked eyes of his acquaintances of the land. He ignored the looks they gave him.

"Where is Emily?" he demanded. Too shocked to speak, the corpses pointed to the lonely bride in the corner. Upon hearing his voice, she looked up.

"Victor?" she said in surprise. Victor walked up to her, taking a cup from the bar in one hand and the wedding ring he had given to two brides in the past in the other. Placing the cup on the top of the piano where Emily had been sitting at, he returned the wedding ring to his pocket and took a lit candle in his right hand. He raised his left hand.

"With this hand, I will lift your sorrow." Victor reached over to the cup on the piano. "Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine." He returned the cup to the piano and raised his right hand. "With this candle, I will light your way in darkness." He put the candle back into its holder and took the wedding ring from his pocket. Raising her left hand, he slid the ring on her ring finger. "With this ring, I ask you to be mine." Victor then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

A/N: This is my first Corpse Bride fic, so, I hope everyone is in character. This idea has been nagging at me for a long time. I've always seen Victoria as an understanding person. Well, I hope you like it. I'm thinking of keeping this a one-shot. If you want more chapters, please, tell me in your reviews.


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